Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Hi Folks,

I've been called names because of some hypercritic ciritique on Katie Puckricks nasty review of Secretions Magnifique of Etat Libre D'Orange <ref: http://www.basenotes.net/threads/261510-Funniest-review-ever-Katie-Puckrik-and-Secretions-Magnifiques!>

Here is the proof that the juice is not lethal:

As You see, I've got a not so full bottle by now. When I lately sprayed it on another man he said it would smell pleasent, sexy. His mother agreed to that. Similarities to JOOP have been stated. In the end, this is the fifth out of six who didn't reject the "tear shedding penis" as horrid, repulsive or in an other way unbearable. The sixth person, a young girl got a foul note out of it. She has grown up in the city with only rarely going to the country side. Maybe that excuses her overreacting to the grain of salt within every perfume of French origin. Which herein is a nitro-something reminiscent of decomposing organic material. Hey, hays smell comes from that too!

Other, earlier reviews of European origin got it similar: not that bad, if bad at all, but strange, something to discover piece by piece.

I'm quite often at Loire Atlantique in France for vacation. St. Nazaire close to Nantes is my preferred place to go. When being there my GF and I enjoy oysters, bread, garlic, parsley and not at least the simple but terrific wine Muscadet Sevre Et Maine Sur Lie for diner. The people und us eat oysters as a snack after the farmers market - 10cc each, fresh from the region. If You as a perfume-o-holic lack that reference, chances are high that SM speaks in a foreign tounge. For instance the French at the western shoreline have a tradition to pick small snails direct from the surge for a feast. The contact to natures raise and fall may be more direct than possible in Hollywood, US not to mention NYC, where nature is smelly poisonous rot if it is present at all.

As said before my first reaction to SM was: white apple with black rotting spots on it. That and windfall, wet grass, trees bark, dewy flowers all over. In other words, that fragrance has blown me back in time. It was a complete picture, emotions of familiarity included of a lucky time of my childhood. My olfactory system couldn't get it first and had to search backward that far!

Maybe that I'm a little bit too old to jump on the bandwaggon. I'm as old as Katie and hardly resist to get my first platic surgery. Me as an experienced person of old European values and traditions think this fragrance has earned at least the merit of being once peculiar and hence a wothwhile chewing gumm for old farts who otherwise lost their impact. It is as synthetic as Beyond Paradise (which I own too) but French - consequently

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

In other words, we Non-Europeans are simple, uneducated bufoons who are unable to appreciate some of the "finer" things in life.
Gotcha! Talk about condescending!!

"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical...It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government." -Thomas Jefferson

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

What's up with the attitude of all the replies? This is clearly one of the more interesting and detailed first posts of the thread.

I also think, there are certain differences between european and for example american sensibilities in general. So what? He didn't say anything offending there, did he? Czeslaw Milosz's book Vision from San Francisco Bay is an excellent book about these differences - magnificent depth. It's truly intriguing subject; not something we should ban because it's offending or condescending. It's not. Talk like this is not about particular persons, but about cultural history. Understanding history and certain cultural undercurrents might help us figure out, why perfumery - or taste in fragrances - in USA for example is different to that of France or England. Ok, now this is getting off-topic, since it isn't the main point at all here.

Katie Puckrick didn't have anything even remotely interesting to say about the fragrance; not that she even tried. It was not a review, it was a performance. WildThingy's image of white apple with black spots is interesting and something new. It smelling metallic and milky isn't. I've read many times, that if someone says he likes it, he must be lying. I think attitude like this - along with some rude comments - made WildThingy open this thread.

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

In other words, we Non-Europeans are simple, uneducated bufoons who are unable to appreciate some of the "finer" things in life.
Gotcha! Talk about condescending!!

hmmm ... get the pun - that's a too simple thought ;-)

No, honest, the "review" by Katie was an other one in a row of uninspired bashings of the frag in question. It's o/k - no question - to dismiss the frag as unpleasent to nauseating whatever You like to think about it. To stage the disgust in public and to make up a competition on who's revolting reaction is the most entertaining isn't that polite, is it?

I'm not condescending here. I would like to remind You to respect other peoples feelings, whatever you share them or not. Maybe you miss in understanding them because of lacking experience with life, coastlines, antimatter, apples ... .

Just in case of strong dislikeing: how did the perfumer achieve that tremendous effect without reminding you of something specific? Art? One thing it is not: trivial.

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Thank you WildThingy. I like this as a fragrance review. It is observant and articulate.

I do wish you could let go of the impulse to put your view in competition with those who disagree. You write well enough, even in a second language, for your words to stand on their own. Don't waste your time attacking a puff piece like Katie's review -- you're obviously putting more thought into her video than she did. I for one would much rather hear what you have to say about perfume, not about the silly things some people say or do with them to keep each other entertained.

(I myself have only sniffed S.M. on paper in a store. I found the top notes to be very unpleasant, with a sharp metallic quality that I expect must be the "iodine" note people talk about. But I moved on to other, more interesting things, so I don't really know S.M. well enough to pass judgment on it.)

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by PaulSC

Thank you WildThingy. ...
I do wish you could let go of the impulse to put your view in competition with those who disagree. ...

It's me to appreciate Your interest, thank You. Alas, in this case my intention is to get the SM out of the hole people on basenotes once threw it in. It is utterly o/k to dislike it, as long as You can be converted ;-)

Even disgust is of interest. You say it is the metal in it. Metal == rot == lipid per oxide (i'm not L Turin, though). I personally think that the metal is supernatural clean. Stunning. I just try to connect the "notes" to something known as with every frag. Regarding metal, what do You think about Habanita of Molinard. I found it unbearable because that was criminal dirty bloody, go figure!

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by Johnny_Ludlow

What's up with the attitude of all the replies? This is clearly one of the more interesting and detailed first posts of the thread.

I also think, there are certain differences between european and for example american sensibilities in general. So what? He didn't say anything offending there, did he? Czeslaw Milosz's book Vision from San Francisco Bay is an excellent book about these differences - magnificent depth. It's truly intriguing subject; not something we should ban because it's offending or condescending. It's not. Talk like this is not about particular persons, but about cultural history. Understanding history and certain cultural undercurrents might help us figure out, why perfumery - or taste in fragrances - in USA for example is different to that of France or England. Ok, now this is getting off-topic, since it isn't the main point at all here.

Katie Puckrick didn't have anything even remotely interesting to say about the fragrance; not that she even tried. It was not a review, it was a performance. WildThingy's image of white apple with black spots is interesting and something new. It smelling metallic and milky isn't. I've read many times, that if someone says he likes it, he must be lying. I think attitude like this - along with some rude comments - made WildThingy open this thread.

I agree with Johnny here in that Katie IS indeed an actress, and in between the comments on scent (which are often thoughtful), she has to chime in with the humour and the drama.

That said, I think all critics (food, perfume, art, film, etc) should me viewed as "people with an opinion," and not sayers of the gospel truth.

"The sunset is deeper and longer. The scent of the jasmine is stronger." Miracles. Pet Shop Boys

"Thick dome of jasmine
(Under the dense canopy where the white jasmine),
Blends with the rose,
(That blends with the rose),"
"The Flower Duet," Lakme by Leo Delibes, 1881

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by WildThingy

hmmm ... get the pun - that's a too simple thought ;-)

No, honest, the "review" by Katie was an other one in a row of uninspired bashings of the frag in question. It's o/k - no question - to dismiss the frag as unpleasent to nauseating whatever You like to think about it. To stage the disgust in public and to make up a competition on who's revolting reaction is the most entertaining isn't that polite, is it?

I'm not condescending here. I would like to remind You to respect other peoples feelings, whatever you share them or not. Maybe you miss in understanding them because of lacking experience with life, coastlines, antimatter, apples ... .

Just in case of strong dislikeing: how did the perfumer achieve that tremendous effect without reminding you of something specific? Art? One thing it is not: trivial.

Thank You!

Originally Posted by Surfacing

No one ever said that.

I apologize if I read it wrong.

One of the great things about Basenotes is, for the most part, we all get along very well. That is not always the case on other forums.
No hard feelings on my part.

"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical...It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government." -Thomas Jefferson

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by WildThingy

Hi Folks,

I've been called names because of some hypercritic ciritique on Katie Puckricks nasty review of Secretions Magnifique of Etat Libre D'Orange <ref: http://www.basenotes.net/threads/261510-Funniest-review-ever-Katie-Puckrik-and-Secretions-Magnifiques!>

Here is the proof that the juice is not lethal:

As You see, I've got a not so full bottle by now. When I lately sprayed it on another man he said it would smell pleasent, sexy. His mother agreed to that. Similarities to JOOP have been stated. In the end, this is the fifth out of six who didn't reject the "tear shedding penis" as horrid, repulsive or in an other way unbearable. The sixth person, a young girl got a foul note out of it. She has grown up in the city with only rarely going to the country side. Maybe that excuses her overreacting to the grain of salt within every perfume of French origin. Which herein is a nitro-something reminiscent of decomposing organic material. Hey, hays smell comes from that too!

Other, earlier reviews of European origin got it similar: not that bad, if bad at all, but strange, something to discover piece by piece.

I'm quite often at Loire Atlantique in France for vacation. St. Nazaire close to Nantes is my preferred place to go. When being there my GF and I enjoy oysters, bread, garlic, parsley and not at least the simple but terrific wine Muscadet Sevre Et Maine Sur Lie for diner. The people und us eat oysters as a snack after the farmers market - 10cc each, fresh from the region. If You as a perfume-o-holic lack that reference, chances are high that SM speaks in a foreign tounge. For instance the French at the western shoreline have a tradition to pick small snails direct from the surge for a feast. The contact to natures raise and fall may be more direct than possible in Hollywood, US not to mention NYC, where nature is smelly poisonous rot if it is present at all.

As said before my first reaction to SM was: white apple with black rotting spots on it. That and windfall, wet grass, trees bark, dewy flowers all over. In other words, that fragrance has blown me back in time. It was a complete picture, emotions of familiarity included of a lucky time of my childhood. My olfactory system couldn't get it first and had to search backward that far!

Maybe that I'm a little bit too old to jump on the bandwaggon. I'm as old as Katie and hardly resist to get my first platic surgery. Me as an experienced person of old European values and traditions think this fragrance has earned at least the merit of being once peculiar and hence a wothwhile chewing gumm for old farts who otherwise lost their impact. It is as synthetic as Beyond Paradise (which I own too) but French - consequently

I didn't find Secretions Magnifique to be one of the best things I have ever smelled. But I certainly did not find it repulsive, nor did it make me want to vomit. However I did live and work in Angers, France for 4 years, and spent a lot of time in the Loire Atlantique region eating oysters and drinking Muscadet Sevre Et Maine Sur Lie. So maybe that affected my palette.

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by WildThingy

O/k, You have read it wrong. But - I get my shave today. Once in a while things have to be done ... .

Never mind!

Huh?

"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical...It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government." -Thomas Jefferson

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

All forgiven - it would haven been of more interest to get me shaved the other day anyway, so, You get it?

The 3 days beard on the photo above could be taken as insinuating, if at all You mind it, hair, grooming, secretions etc ...

Oh. Alright...

"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical...It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government." -Thomas Jefferson

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

I had a sample of SM and I didn't get anything like semen, blood, or any bodily fluids. That it smelled like to me is a dog that had jumped in a pool with lots of chlorine and then sat in the sun for a while. Dog Breath + Chlorine with some milky aspects. I remember one time someone had said they thought it smelled like someone had ground up a bunch of vitamins and pills, concentrated them, and then wore them as a fragrance, and that is also what I think it smells like. Anyway, I like your review! I do like Katie's review, but it was obviously just a quick, all in good fun review. I like hearing both sides to the fragrance =D

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by PigeonMurderer

Your curveball posts ...

It isn't meant as that. The insinuating hairy chin is an observation of my girl friend (I'm straight btw). She told me after posting it. I'm completely satisfied with the response to my initial post. Nobody is asked to like SM, though, a competition to show off with the most spectatcular disgust could be taken as mean.

I have to recreate my likeings while I'm wearing that famous dingy Dzing! for a while. Decomposing (!!-again-!!) paper and such ...

ps: she is fond of Encens Et Bubblegum incrementing her liking of Jasmin Et Cigarette of ELDO. An alteration in the end ...

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by WildThingy

It isn't meant as that. The insinuating hairy chin is an observation of my girl friend (I'm straight btw). She told me after posting it. I'm completely satisfied with the response to my initial post. Nobody is asked to like SM, though, a competition to show off with the most spectatcular disgust could be taken as mean.

I have to recreate my likeings while I'm wearing that famous shitty Dzing! for a while. Decomposing (!!-again-!!) paper and such ...

ps: she is fond of Encens Et Bubblegum incrementing her liking of Jasmin Et Cigarette of ELDO. An alteration in the end ...

Hey if you like it and it works for you, congrats! Alot of people hate A*Men and I love it so..exclusivity is never a bad thing

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by Neurosis

Hey if you like it and it works for you, congrats! Alot of people hate A*Men and I love it so..exclusivity is never a bad thing

Isn't A*Men the frag that had to be renamed to Angel Men because the pun being read as "amen"? The phrase ending Mosaic prayers, derived from "Amon"/"Amun", an Egyptian god? Namely responsible for fertility ...

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by WildThingy

Isn't A*Men the frag that had to be renamed to Angel Men because the pun being read as "amen"? The phrase ending Mosaic prayers, derived from "Amon"/"Amun", an Egyptian god? Namely responsible for fertility ...

Welcome to purgatory!

Yeah, its Angel Men (Angel for Men is the full name really). It was called A*Men in the US due to copyright issues, but I think the issue is over so its going back to its full name (? someone please correct me if im wrong)

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Glad you posted a review! Actually, I don't think there's a need for this to be in reference to Katie's - it's perfectly fine to post reviews all your own here, in fact it's encouraged. I think mentioning Katie's only resurfaces unnecessary drama from that thread.

Secretions still strikes me as foul on re-testing, but I don't mind Charogne, which if anything, has an even fouler association. For some reason indole strikes horror into many folks but it doesn't do that to me, so it's not so strange that reactions to Secretions are variable.

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by Sugandaraja

Glad you posted a review!

Katies would have been o/k if it was the first one of that peticular kind, But it was the third, so it became a bit unpleasent lately.

I did a review of that review. Tried to correct an issue or two. That's all. Cry out, shedd Your tears, express yourself, but don't do it for a competition of disgust. Because of that would be self referential. Thank You!

Re: Secretions Magnifique - a review reviewed

Originally Posted by Johnny_Ludlow

What's up with the attitude of all the replies? This is clearly one of the more interesting and detailed first posts of the thread.

I also think, there are certain differences between european and for example american sensibilities in general. So what? He didn't say anything offending there, did he? Czeslaw Milosz's book Vision from San Francisco Bay is an excellent book about these differences - magnificent depth. It's truly intriguing subject; not something we should ban because it's offending or condescending. It's not. Talk like this is not about particular persons, but about cultural history. Understanding history and certain cultural undercurrents might help us figure out, why perfumery - or taste in fragrances - in USA for example is different to that of France or England. Ok, now this is getting off-topic, since it isn't the main point at all here.

Katie Puckrick didn't have anything even remotely interesting to say about the fragrance; not that she even tried. It was not a review, it was a performance. WildThingy's image of white apple with black spots is interesting and something new. It smelling metallic and milky isn't. I've read many times, that if someone says he likes it, he must be lying. I think attitude like this - along with some rude comments - made WildThingy open this thread.